Aligning device for tools



R. O. NEMEYER ALIGNING DEVICE FOR TOOLS Sept. 17', 1946.

Filed Jan. 16, 1943 Patented Sept. 17, 1 946 ALIGNING DEVICE FOR TOOLS Roland Orisan N emeyer, Pasadena, Calif., assignor to California Institute Research Foundation, Pasadena, Calif., a corporation of California Application January 16, 1943, Serial No. 472,601

'7 Claims. (Cl. 116-124) This invention relates to portable tools, such as hand or electric drills, in which the maintenance of the proper angle of incidence of the tool against thework is dependent upon the skill of the operator, as distinct from tools such as drill presses in which the 'tool ismechanically supported at the desired angle of incidence with respect to the work.

A general object of the invention is to facilitate the positioning of a hand tool at a desired angle with respect'tothe work.

A more specific object is to provide a practicable accessory for a hand tool for giving an accurate visual indication of theangle of incidence of the tool with respect to the work at all times, thereby enabling even unskilled operators to perform accurate work.

Briefly, the present invention comprises an indicating attachment which can be secured to hand tools, such as portable drills, and has a work contacting face, which lies flat against the work, in combination with Visual indicating means for showing any variations in the angle ofthe tool with respect to the work.

A clearer understanding of the invention may be had from the following detailed description, with reference to the drawing, of several 'possible arrangements of the invention.

Inthe drawing: r V

Fig. 1 is an elevation view, partly in section, of one form of the invention shown attached to a portable electric drill; j a

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the indicating face of the attachment;

Fig. 3 is a Vertical section showing a modification of the instrument of Figure 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section showing still an-. other modification, and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the indicating face of the attachment shown in Figure 4.

Referring first to Fig. 1, there is shown a portable electric drill IU having a drill point II in contact with a workpiece I2, which ishere shown as a flat plate. Ordinarily it is desirable if not essential that holes drilled in objects such as the plate I2 be perpendicular to the surface, It requires cons derable skill for operators to drill holes that are even approximately perpendicular when using an ordinary portable drill of the type illustrated. The present invention provides an attachmentfor such drills that indicates exactly, to the, operator at all times whether or not the drill is perpendicular and, if it is not, in which direction it must be moved to bringit back to the perpendicular. I

Essential elements of the attachment are a tubular member I3, a work contacting member I4, and. a supporting sleeve I5 which slidably supports the tubular member I3 for linear moves ment. The sleeve I5 is adjustably connected to the drill ill by a clamp I6. Thus, the clamp I6 is provided with a bracket I! having a flat face I8 and the sleeve I5 is provided with a similar bracket I9 having a flat face 20 fitting against the face I8, The two brackets l1 and I9 are held in alignment by a pin 2| which projects from the face Zil into a recess provided therefor in the face It. The two brackets are adjustably held together by screws 22 and 23 which pass through arcuate slots in the bracket I9 and into threaded apertures in the bracket H. The construction described permits rotation of the sleeve I5 at various angles with respect to the axis of the drill point II but for ordinary work the sleeve I5 is adjusted to bring its axis parallel to the axis of the drill point II.

As shown in Fig. 1, the end of the drill point I! is resting against the workpiece I2 and likewise a face 24 of the member I4 is lying against the workpiece I2 so that the member I4 has its axis positioned perpendicular to the workpiece even though the drill Ill may be inclined at some other angle. Relative angular movement between the member I4 and the tubular member I3 is possible by virtue of the fact that they are pivotally connected together with a ball and socket joint, a ball 25 being formed on the upper end of member I d and a socket26 being formed on the lower end of the tubular member I3.

Furthermore the member I3 is always urged downwardly to hold the face 24 against the work by a helical compression sprin 21 which surrounds the, tubular member I3 and is compressed between the lower end of the sleeve I5 and a shoulder 28 on the upper end of the socket 255.

To provide a visual indication of the relative angular positions of the members It and M, the member I3 is provided with a translucent screen 29 at its upper end and the member i is provided with a light projecting apparatus for projecting a narrow beam of light onto the screen 29. Thus a small electric lamp 3!! is positioned within the member I4 and aligned with twolight transmitting apertures 3i and 32 in the ball 25 which transmit a narrow beam of light onto the screen 29. The lamp 30 may be energized from any surce of current over a flexible cord 33.

When the drill II] is held so that the drill point II is perpendicular to the workpiece I2, the ray of light projected through the apertures 3| and 32 will fall on the center of the translucent screen 29, causing a spot of light there that is readily visible to the operator. To make it easier to locate the center of the disc, the latter may be provided with crossed lines 34, as shown in Fig. 2. Any deviation of the drill from the normal position will be immediately indicated to the operator by departure of the spot of light away from the center of the screen 29.

In the modification of the invention shown in Fig. 3, the source of light, instead of being .positioned in the work-contacting member, is positioned within the tubular member l3a and consists of a small flash lamp 40 of the focusing type, energized from batteries 4|, mounted in a conventional small flashlight case 42 and held in position by a spring 43 compressed between the upper battery and an end closure 44, the latter being located adjacent the translucent screen 2%. The lamp 40 has associated therewith a reflector 45 for reflecting a narrow beam of light downwardly through the tube Isa onto a mirror t! secured to the work contacting member Ma.

light back up through the tube l3a onto the trans lucent screen 29a, and the mirror 4! is so oriented that the beam of light falls on the center of the screen when the tubular member to is perpendicular to the plane of the work contacting face 24a. V I

It is desirable that the lamp ib be energized only while the tool is in actual use, to prolong the life of the batteries d I. Hence I may provide an automatic mechanism for lighting the lamp 40 only while the device is in actual use. This may consist of a switch 43, which is connected by wires 49 to the lamp 4i] and has an actuating plunger 56. The switch 43 is so designed that the plunger 56 is'urged outwardly by spring pressure to close the switch and light the lamp 4!}. Hence in the condition shown in Fig. 3, the lamp 4B is illuminated. However, when the tool is removed from the workpiece, the spring 21a moves the tubular member iSa downwardly until the plunger 59 encounters the. top of the collar 15a, thereby depressing the plunger and shutting off the lamp.

There is shown in Fig. a further modification of the invention, in which the indicating lamp is avoided and a purely mechanical indicating. structure substituted therefor. Thus, in this instance the work contacting member 24b has secured thereto a pointer 5| which extends up through the tubular member I 3b and terminates immediateh below a window 2% which is preferably clear but has crossed lines 34b (Fig. 5), the same as did the translucent screens 29 and 29a. As shown in the drawing, the upper end of the pointer 5! carries an indicating .ball 52, which itself carries intersecting lines 53 on its upper end to facilitate alignment with the crossed lines 34?) of the window. However, the upper end of the pointer 5| could terminate in a point instead of a ball if desired. The operation of the modification shown in Fig. 4 is obvious. The pointer 5!, being rigidly secured to the work contacting member 26b, will remain perpendicular 'to the work whereas any angular deviation of the hand tool on which the device is mounted will shift the tubular member lSb and the window 2% and such shift will be immediately apparent to the operator.

It is desirable, to prevent the pointer 5! from being bent, to limit the extent of angular movement between the ball and socket members by providing a sturdy boss 55 on the socket member,

The mirror 4? reflects the beam of which will be contacted by the edge 56 of the socket member before the tubular member i3!) would be deflected far enough to carry it into direct contact with the pointer 5!.

The structures shown in Figs. 3 and 4. have the advantage over the structure shown in Fig. 1 in that the ball and socket joint is positioned closer to the workpiece, therebyimore positively assuring that the work-contacting face of the member will lie flat against the work. As shown in all the modifications, the work-contacting face is concave so that it contacts the work along a circle, which may be more desirablethan a fiat contact .face in the presence of dirt or other loose foreign .matter. In'fact 'a'three-point contact might die sirably be substituted for the circle contact in many instances.

Although the attachment is shown for use only in connection with a portable drill, it will be observed that it is useful in connection with other types of tools. Thus, it would be used in a very similar manner on a reamer or a tap. It might also have application to portable sanders, saws and the like, wherever it is desirable to maintain a tool in predetermined angular relation with respect to the work. The invention'is, therefore, not to be'limited to the exact construction shown in the drawing but only as limitedi-ri the appended claims.

I claim: r

1. The combination with a hand tool adapted to move with respect to a workpiece, while maintaining a desired angle of incidence withrespe'ct to said workpiece, of means associated with said hand tool for indicating deviation from said desired angle of the tool with respect to said workpiece, said indicating means comprising: afirst member; means forslidably mounting said first member relative to said tool along an axis disposed in fixed angular relation thereto; a second member having a face adapted to lie against the workpiece in predetermined angular relationship therewith; a ball and socket joint pivotally interconnecting said first and second members, whereby said members assume relative angular positions corresponding to the relative angular positions of said, tool and workpiece; and index means for indicating the relative-angular positions of said members including a screen on said first member, and means on said'second member for projecting an indication through said ball and socket joint onto said screen.

2. The combination with ahand tool adapted to move with respect to a workpiece, while maintaining a desired angle of incidence with respect to said workpiece, of means associated with said hand tool for indicating deviation from said desired angle of the tool with respect to said workpiece, said indicating means comprising: a first member; means for slidably mounting said first member relative to said tool along an axis disposed in fixed angular relation thereto; a second member having a face adapted to lie against the workpiece in predetermined angular relationship therewith;v a ball and socket joint pivotally of light on said second member for projecting a ray of light through said ball and socket joint onto said screen.

3. The combination with a hand tool adapted to move with respect to a workpiece, while maintaining a desired angle of incidence with respect to said workpiece, of means associated with said hand tool for indicating deviation from said desired angle of the tool with respect to said workpiece, said indicating means comprising: a first member; means for slidably mounting said first member relative to said tool along an axis disposed in fixed angular relation thereto; a second member having a face adapted to lie against the workpiece in predetermined angular relationship therewith; a ball and socket joint pivotally interconnecting said first and second members, whereby said members assume relative angular positions corresponding to the relative angular positions of said tool and workpiece; and index means for indicating the relative angular positions of the first and second members including a screen on one of said members and a source of light on the other of said members for projecting a beam of light onto said screen.

4. An attachment for a hand tool which comprises: a first member; a clamp member having a clamp attachable to said hand tool and a sleeve slidably supporting said first member on said clamp member for movement along a predetermined axis relative to said hand tool; spring means normally urging said first member toward an extended position; a second member carried by said first member and having a face adapted to bear against the workpiece in predetermined angular relationship therewith; a ball and socket joint between the first and second members whereby the first and second members may assume relative angular positions corresponding to the relative angular positions of the hand tool and workpiece; and cooperative indicating means on the first and second members for indicating their relative angular positions.

5. Aligning device for hand drills adapted to indicate the angle of incidence of the hand drill with respect to a workpiece, said aligning derelationship with the surface of the workpiece; a

hollow universal joint connecting said foot member and tube; yieldable means for urging said tube and foot member to an extended position relative to said hand drill whereby said foot member bears against the workpiece as the hand drill is moved into engagement therewith; and cooperative indicating means on the tube and foot member for indicating their relative angular positions.

6. Aligning device for hand drills adapted to indicate the angle of incidence of the hand drill with respect to a workpiece, said aligning device comprising: a bracket secured to the hand drill, a tube slidable in said bracket along an axis occupying a predetermined relationship to the drilling axis of the hand drill; a foot member adapted to rest on a workpiece to be drilled and defining an axis having a predetermined angular relationship with the surface of the workpiece; a hollow universal joint connecting said foot member and tube; yieldable means for urging said tube and foot member to an extended position relative to said hand drill whereby said foot member bears against the workpiece as the hand drill is moved into engagement therewith; an index means for indicating the relative angular positions of said tube and foot member, said index means including a screen at the end of said tube remote from said foot member and a source of light within said foot member for projecting a ray of light through said universal joint onto said screen.

'7. Aligning device for hand drills adapted to indicate the angle of incidence of the hand drill with respect to a workpiece, said aligning device comprising: a bracket secured to the hand drill, a tube slidable in said bracket along an axis occupying a predetermined relationship to the drilling axis of the hand drill; a foot member adapted to rest on a workpiece to be drilled and defining an axis having a predetermined angular relationship with the surface of the workpiece; a hollow universal joint connecting said foot member and tube; yieldable means for urging said tube and foot member to an extended position relative to said hand drill whereby said foot member bears against the workpiece as the hand drill is moved into engagement therewith; and an indicating device incorporating a viewing element at the end of said tube remote from said foot member and means carried within said foot 1116111, ber and co-acting with said viewing element to indicate the angular relation between said tube and said foot member thereby to indicate the angular relation between said hand drill and workpiece.

ROLAND ORISAN NEMEYER. 

